diff --git a/gfx/layers/composite/AsyncCompositionManager.cpp b/gfx/layers/composite/AsyncCompositionManager.cpp
index 01086fbb89b0..407ff546c19a 100644
--- a/gfx/layers/composite/AsyncCompositionManager.cpp
+++ b/gfx/layers/composite/AsyncCompositionManager.cpp
@@ -1030,7 +1030,8 @@ AsyncCompositionManager::TransformScrollableLayer(Layer* aLayer)
 }
 
 bool
-AsyncCompositionManager::TransformShadowTree(TimeStamp aCurrentFrame)
+AsyncCompositionManager::TransformShadowTree(TimeStamp aCurrentFrame,
+                                             TransformsToSkip aSkip)
 {
   PROFILER_LABEL("AsyncCompositionManager", "TransformShadowTree",
     js::ProfileEntry::Category::GRAPHICS);
@@ -1045,29 +1046,31 @@ AsyncCompositionManager::TransformShadowTree(TimeStamp aCurrentFrame)
   // transforms.
   bool wantNextFrame = SampleAnimations(root, aCurrentFrame);
 
-  // FIXME/bug 775437: unify this interface with the ~native-fennec
-  // derived code
-  //
-  // Attempt to apply an async content transform to any layer that has
-  // an async pan zoom controller (which means that it is rendered
-  // async using Gecko). If this fails, fall back to transforming the
-  // primary scrollable layer.  "Failing" here means that we don't
-  // find a frame that is async scrollable.  Note that the fallback
-  // code also includes Fennec which is rendered async.  Fennec uses
-  // its own platform-specific async rendering that is done partially
-  // in Gecko and partially in Java.
-  wantNextFrame |= SampleAPZAnimations(LayerMetricsWrapper(root), aCurrentFrame);
-  if (!ApplyAsyncContentTransformToTree(root)) {
-    nsAutoTArray<Layer*,1> scrollableLayers;
+  if (!(aSkip & TransformsToSkip::APZ)) {
+    // FIXME/bug 775437: unify this interface with the ~native-fennec
+    // derived code
+    //
+    // Attempt to apply an async content transform to any layer that has
+    // an async pan zoom controller (which means that it is rendered
+    // async using Gecko). If this fails, fall back to transforming the
+    // primary scrollable layer.  "Failing" here means that we don't
+    // find a frame that is async scrollable.  Note that the fallback
+    // code also includes Fennec which is rendered async.  Fennec uses
+    // its own platform-specific async rendering that is done partially
+    // in Gecko and partially in Java.
+    wantNextFrame |= SampleAPZAnimations(LayerMetricsWrapper(root), aCurrentFrame);
+    if (!ApplyAsyncContentTransformToTree(root)) {
+      nsAutoTArray<Layer*,1> scrollableLayers;
 #ifdef MOZ_WIDGET_ANDROID
-    mLayerManager->GetRootScrollableLayers(scrollableLayers);
+      mLayerManager->GetRootScrollableLayers(scrollableLayers);
 #else
-    mLayerManager->GetScrollableLayers(scrollableLayers);
+      mLayerManager->GetScrollableLayers(scrollableLayers);
 #endif
 
-    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < scrollableLayers.Length(); i++) {
-      if (scrollableLayers[i]) {
-        TransformScrollableLayer(scrollableLayers[i]);
+      for (uint32_t i = 0; i < scrollableLayers.Length(); i++) {
+        if (scrollableLayers[i]) {
+          TransformScrollableLayer(scrollableLayers[i]);
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/gfx/layers/composite/AsyncCompositionManager.h b/gfx/layers/composite/AsyncCompositionManager.h
index 54d02250a92b..50810af7f3ec 100644
--- a/gfx/layers/composite/AsyncCompositionManager.h
+++ b/gfx/layers/composite/AsyncCompositionManager.h
@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ public:
 
   // Sample transforms for layer trees.  Return true to request
   // another animation frame.
-  bool TransformShadowTree(TimeStamp aCurrentFrame);
+  enum class TransformsToSkip : uint8_t { NoneOfThem = 0, APZ = 1 };
+  bool TransformShadowTree(TimeStamp aCurrentFrame,
+    TransformsToSkip aSkip = TransformsToSkip::NoneOfThem);
 
   // Calculates the correct rotation and applies the transform to
   // our layer manager
@@ -208,6 +210,8 @@ private:
   gfx::Matrix mWorldTransform;
 };
 
+MOZ_MAKE_ENUM_CLASS_BITWISE_OPERATORS(AsyncCompositionManager::TransformsToSkip)
+
 class MOZ_STACK_CLASS AutoResolveRefLayers {
 public:
   explicit AutoResolveRefLayers(AsyncCompositionManager* aManager) : mManager(aManager)
diff --git a/gfx/layers/ipc/CompositorParent.cpp b/gfx/layers/ipc/CompositorParent.cpp
index 83bb6420831d..6e7809b7ed98 100644
--- a/gfx/layers/ipc/CompositorParent.cpp
+++ b/gfx/layers/ipc/CompositorParent.cpp
@@ -1152,12 +1152,6 @@ CompositorParent::ShadowLayersUpdated(LayerTransactionParent* aLayerTree,
     if (mPaused) {
       DidComposite();
     }
-    // When testing we synchronously update the shadow tree with the animated
-    // values to avoid race conditions when calling GetAnimationTransform etc.
-    // (since the above SetShadowProperties will remove animation effects).
-    if (mIsTesting) {
-      ApplyAsyncProperties(aLayerTree);
-    }
   }
   mLayerManager->NotifyShadowTreeTransaction();
 }
@@ -1210,16 +1204,15 @@ CompositorParent::ApplyAsyncProperties(LayerTransactionParent* aLayerTree)
   // true or when called from test-only methods like
   // LayerTransactionParent::RecvGetAnimationTransform.
 
-  // Synchronously update the layer tree, but only if a composite was already
-  // scehduled.
-  if (aLayerTree->GetRoot() &&
-      (mCurrentCompositeTask ||
-       (mCompositorVsyncObserver &&
-        mCompositorVsyncObserver->NeedsComposite()))) {
+  // Synchronously update the layer tree
+  if (aLayerTree->GetRoot()) {
     AutoResolveRefLayers resolve(mCompositionManager);
+    SetShadowProperties(mLayerManager->GetRoot());
+
     TimeStamp time = mIsTesting ? mTestTime : mLastCompose;
     bool requestNextFrame =
-      mCompositionManager->TransformShadowTree(time);
+      mCompositionManager->TransformShadowTree(time,
+        AsyncCompositionManager::TransformsToSkip::APZ);
     if (!requestNextFrame) {
       CancelCurrentCompositeTask();
       // Pretend we composited in case someone is waiting for this event.
diff --git a/gfx/layers/ipc/LayerTransactionParent.cpp b/gfx/layers/ipc/LayerTransactionParent.cpp
index 1a16718a0219..f392b44e89dc 100644
--- a/gfx/layers/ipc/LayerTransactionParent.cpp
+++ b/gfx/layers/ipc/LayerTransactionParent.cpp
@@ -664,6 +664,8 @@ LayerTransactionParent::RecvGetOpacity(PLayerParent* aParent,
     return false;
   }
 
+  mShadowLayersManager->ApplyAsyncProperties(this);
+
   *aOpacity = layer->GetLocalOpacity();
   return true;
 }